Brake for phonographs



J. H, KUNS. BRAKE FOR P-tjONOGRAPHS. APHICATXON FILED APR. 3,19l9.

1,342,023, Patented June 1, 1920.

VIA IIIIIIIIIIII-IIV/ZZ UNITE err" OFFICE.

BRAKE FOR PHONOG-RAPHS.

Application filed. April 3, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. KUNs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Long Beach, in the county of Los Ange-- which operate to stop a sound reproducing machine when the reproducer of the machine arrives at the end of a record.

An object of my invention is to provide a trip device for phonograph brakes which will automatically act to trip the phonograph brake without adjustment when used with records of various diameters.

Another object of my invention is to produce a trip for phonograph brakes which will be readily adjustable to actuate the brake and bring the turntable to a stop when the reproducer arrives at the end of the record. 4

Another object of my invention is to provide a trip of the character described which, if desired, may be manually adjusted for use with records of different sizes.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the subjoined detailed description.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 represents a top plan view of a phonograph provided with a brake and my novel trip, a portion of the record and turntable being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation of the same with the shell partially cut away.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of my frictional brake trip.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the trip illustrated in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on theline indicated by w w in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line indicated by w :c in Fig. 1.

I am aware that there are numerous phonograph brakes now on the market generally comprising a brake shoe and trigger for the same, which brake shoe operates to abut against the turntable of the phonograph and that trips for brakes of this class are in use upon phonographs of various types. Heretofore, however, the trip has been aflixed to the shaft actuating the same and when it is desired to vary the size of the record reproduced upon the pho- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1, 1920. Serial No. 287,161.

nograph it has been necessary to adjust the trigger of the brake. To so adjust the trigger of the brake requires removing the turntable of the phonograph.

My invention comprises an adjustable trip for any class of phonograph brakes whereby the trip may be adjusted when records of different sizes are to be reproduced upon the phonograph. My adjustable trip may be adjusted manually if desired or I provide the trip with a stop which operates to automatically adjust the trip. If my adjustable trip be provided with the automatic stop records of different sizes may be reproduced upon the machine and my trip will actuate the brake trigger when the phonograph reproducer reaches the end of any size record without manual adjustment of the trip.

Referring to the drawings there is illustrated one type of phonograph now in common use to which I may, and have in the drawings, applied my adjustable brake trip. The phonograph comprises a shell 1, a horn 2, a record 3, a turntable 4L and a reproducer 5, all of the type customarily employed in phonographs of the present day manufacture. The horn 2 is of the type secured preferably by bearings 6 to a pivot which, in the instance illustrated, is a vertical rod 7. Pivoted horns of the type referred to are preferably substantially U-shaped as illustrated in Fig. 2 so that upon a turning of the rod? .the reproducer 5 will be carried transversely across the record-3. Vice versa a transverse movement of the reproducer 5 across the record 3 will be coincident with a turning of the rod 7 It is immaterial, for the purposes of my invention, whether the reproducer 5 be carried transversely of the record 3 by the grooves thereon and thus actuate the rod 7 as in some machines of present day manufacture, or whether the rod 7 be power turned andthus'actuate the horn 2 and propel the same transversely of the record 3, as in other phonographs of pres ent day manufacture. In either case it is to be noted that a transverse movement of the reproducer 5 is accompanied by a turning of the rod 7.

In the type of machine illustrated in the drawings the rod 7 carries a handle 8 pivoted at its upper end. The handle 8 is provided with eccentrics 9 whereby, upon a depression of the handle 8, the eccentrics 9 will engage with the hereinafter described member 19 above the platform 10 of the shell 1, and the horn member 2 will be lifted and the stylus likewise lifted from engagement with the record 3.

There is provided a brake for the phonograph, which brake may be of any construction adaptable for use with phonographs. The type of brake illustrated in the drawings comprises a brake member 11 pivoted at 12 to the platform 10. The brake member 11 carries the usual brake shoe 1?) which is adapted to engage the inner periphery of the turntable 4. The brake member 11 may be formed at its outer end with a thumb piece 14c- Cotiperating with said brake member 11 is a trigger member 15 which is pivoted at 16 to the platform 10. The trigger 15 is provided at-its outer end with an abutment 17. In machines of present day manufacture the abutment 17 is adjustably pivoted to the trigger 15, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. WVhen records of different sizes are to be used upon the phonograph the abutment 17 is adjusted at its pivot. WVhen my adjustable stop is used there is no need for pivoting the abutment 17 to the trigger 15 and the abutment may be formed, if desired, directly upon the trigger. In the brake illustrated in the drawings the trigger 15 is connected to the brake member 11 by the tension spring 18. It is understood that the details of construction of the brake and trigger form no part of my invention. My adjustable stop may be used with any type of phonograph brake which is provided with an abutment or trip to set the brake.

My novel trip comprises an adjustable member generally designated 19. The member 19 comprises two sections, a lower section 20 and an upper section 21. The lower section 20 is formed with an annular seat 22 and the upper section 21 is apertured to be received upon and frictionally engage the annular seat 22.

Secured at 23 to the upper face of the lower section 20 are spring retaining means 24 which overlie and frictionally engage the top surface of the upper section 21. The periphery of the upper section 21 is provided with a finger-25, and is also provided at its outer periphery with a depending stop 26. The lower section 20 is key-holed to receive the rod 7.

In operation my trip is as follows:

When the phonograph is first assembled for use a record is placed upon the turntable 45, the reproducer 5 is moved to the end of the record, the brake shoe 13 is set, and the finger member 25 is then rotated to engage with the abutment 17. The reproducer 5 may then be moved to the beginning of the record and such a movement will be accompanied by a corresponding revolution of the rod 7, carrying the finger 25 away from the abutment 17. When the phonograph is operated the reproducer will move transversely across the record in the customary manner and the finger 25 will approach the abutment 17, finally engaging therewith and releasing the brake trigger 15 and accordingly setting the brake shoe 13 and bringing the phonograph to a stop. This engagement of the finger 25 with the abutment 17 will be coincident with the reproducer 5 arriving at the end of the record 3.

The spring retainers 2& form with the sections 20 and 21 a frictional engagement which is suflicient in strength to cause a tripping of the trigger 15 before there will be any relative movement between the sections 20 and 21 of the member 19.

If desired the trip member 19 may be manually adjusted to operate with a record of different size from the one for which the trip member is first adjusted. For example if a second record of smaller recording size is to be used the reproducer 5 is moved to the end of the shorter record and the finger 25 is then rotated against the frictional tension of the member 19 so that the finger 25 engages the abutment 17. The reproducer 5 may then be carried to the start of the record and the operation of the brake trip will be similar to that above described. If the trip member 19 is to be manually adjusted to operate with records of different lengths it is not necessary that it be provided with the stop 26. However, even if the trip member 19 is provided with a stop 26 it may be manually adjusted in the manner above described. This manual adjustment is much simpler and more convenient than the old method of lifting the turntable and adjusting the pivoted connection between the abutment 17 and the trigger 15. When the trip 19 is provided with a depending stop 26 no manual adjustment of the finger 25 is required when records of any length are reproduced upon the phonograph.

The stop 26 renders the trip 19 automatieally. adjustable and this operation is as follows:

Assuming that the trip has been adjusted or set at the factory for a record in the manner above described, if it is then desired that a longer record be reproduced the reproducer should be first moved to a point outside the circumference of the record. This movement will cause the rod 7 and section 20 to be rotated even after the stop 26 has engaged the edge of the platform 10, as a stationary abutment, and held the section 21 from rotation. This movement is possible as there is no positive connection between the sections 20 and 21. The reproducer 5 should next bemoved to a point coincident with the end of the record. The latter movement will insure that the finger 25 does not reach the abutment 17 too quickly to stop the machine before the record is completed. The last movement necessary is to return the reproducer to'the beginning ot the record and start the machine.

If the reproducer be moved as above described whenever it is desired to change the size of a record to be reproduced the trip will automatically adjust itself. The trip will automatically adjust itself when the reproducer is moved to extreme outward position and then inward to the end of the record for'use with a record of any length.

My invention is not limited to the details of construction above described but is of the breadth and scope set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a phonograph, a turntable, a reproducer, a rod, a horn pivoted to the rod and carrying the reproducer, a brake mem-.

ber adapted to engage said turntable, a trigger for said brake, an abutment carried by said trigger, an annular seat member mounted on said rod, a finger support frictionally seated upon said annular seat member and movable relative thereto, a finger carried by said support and adapted to engage said abutment upon the reproducer reaching the end 01": a record, and retaining means mounted on said seat member and overlapping said support to frictionally retard any relative movement between said seat member and said support.

2. An adjustable finger trip forbrakes for phonographs, comprising a lower section provided with an annular friction seat, a fin er carrying member apertured to be frictionally received on said annular seat, and friction retaining means carried by said lower section and frictionally engaging said linger carrying member.

3. A device of the class described comprisber for the brake mechanism comprising relatively adjustable frictionally cooperating sections, one section being connected to said movable member and the other section having a stop alined for cooperation With the stationary abutment.

5. A device of the class described comprising a brake mechanism, a stationary abutment, a movable member, and a trip device for the brake mechanism comprising 'two frictionally united sections concentrically alined with said movable member, one section connected to the movable member and the other having a stop in cooperative alinement with-the stationary abutment.

6. A device for operating a brake for a phonograph turntable comprising a driven member, a stationary abutment, and an adjustable member adapted to engage the brake mechanism, said adjustable member frictionally engaging the driven member and having a stop in cooperative alinement with the stationary abutment to arrest said adjustable member for a continued independent movement of the driven member.

Signed at Long Beach, CaL, this 27 day of March, 1919.

JOHN H. KU'Ns.

l/Vitnesses ANNA M. MILLER, G. M. SPICER. 

